War Memorial Stadium Contract Gets Update

The University of Arkansas and War Memorial Stadium announced on Tuesday a modification of the current contract between the two parties, reducing the number of games the Razorbacks play in the stadium to one annually starting in 2014, and extending the duration of the contract by two years, through 2018.

Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long, and Kevin Crass, chairman of the War Memorial Stadium Commission, jointly made the announcement in a press conference at the stadium on Tuesday.

With the Southeastern Conference committed to more league games in the first few weeks of the season, as well as a possible move to a nine-game SEC schedule, extra stress was put on the Arkansas athletic department when it came to finalizing a schedule, particularly with its unique status of playing two home games off campus.

“We had a strong interest in alleviating scheduling challenges,” Long said. “In 2014, with two Little Rock games, we were faced with going four or five weeks between games on campus. So, we were looking for creative solutions.”

For 2014, the Little Rock game will be on Oct. 18 against Georgia, which will mark the Bulldogs’ first visit to the capital city. Beyond 2014, no particular games have been identified for Little Rock, and no guarantee was made that any future game would necessarily be against an SEC foe.

As part of the new agreement, Arkansas will make an annual payment of $400,000 to War Memorial Stadium in 2014, 2015 and 2016. That should help offset the lost revenue the stadium will sustain from losing a game each season. The university will not pay a rental fee for the 2017 and 2018 games.

“Financially, it’s about 900,000 (dollars) to one million in more revenues,” said Long, describing the difference in playing just one game in Little Rock. “Our partnership enabled us to work together to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement that provides the Commission with the financial resources it had anticipated to pay off the remaining debt for their recent renovation of the stadium. With this amendment, we have addressed those priorities and extended our agreement two years through 2018.”

Crass stated that the notion to amending the agreement came up within the last few months, and things developed quickly between the two entities, who have had a somewhat reciprocal relationship over the seven decades.

“We had a brief conversation about the concept, and a number of questions were asked,” Crass said. “I was initially contacted, and there was a desire to have games here past 2016. There was no specific discussion beyond 2018.”

Losing one Razorbacks game per season necessarily means a significant drop in income for War Memorial Stadium. Crass indicated that the commission would be seeking alternative sources of income, including other football games and music events.

Turnout was down this season for the two Razorbacks games at War Memorial Stadium, including an announced crowd of just over 45,000 on Saturday for the Mississippi State game. Many felt that figure to be an over-estimation.

Of course, in recent years there has been a growing movement for all games to be played on campus in Fayetteville, citing the financial hit the university takes when the Hogs play in Little Rock, the relative ease with which one can now travel to Northwest Arkansas, and other factors that led to the so-called Great Stadium Debate. Long denied that this was necessarily another step toward an inevitable permanent departure from Little Rock.

“I don’t look at it that way,” Long said. “This is about scheduling. That decision is down the road beyond 2018. We want fans to support us and we want fans to attend our games and create crowd noise, whether it’s here or in Fayetteville.”

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Here is a look at the final 2014 Razorback football schedule now:

The University of Arkansas football team’s 2014 home games were set Tuesday with six games in Fayetteville and one contest in Little Rock.

After opening the season Aug. 30 at Auburn, the Razorbacks begin the home portion of their schedule the next week by hosting Nicholls State in Fayetteville on Sept. 6. Arkansas is playing Nicholls State for the first time in program history. Arkansas then hosts Northern Illinois in Fayetteville on Sept. 20. The teams have met once previously, an Arkansas victory in Fayetteville in 1994.

Arkansas begins a stretch of three straight home games by facing Alabama on Oct. 11 in Fayetteville. The next week, Oct. 18, the Razorbacks will be in Little Rock to host Georgia inside War Memorial Stadium. With the selection, the Bulldogs will become the 10th different SEC team the Razorbacks have hosted in Little Rock since Arkansas joined the Southeastern Conference in time for the 1992 football season.

Arkansas returns to campus Oct. 25 to play UAB, coached by former Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee, for the first time in program history. The Razorbacks host LSU on Nov. 15 in the Battle for the Golden Boot and Ole Miss on Nov. 22 in Fayetteville to wrap up the home portion of the schedule.

* – SEC game
^ – Game played at AT&T Stadium
Home games in bold

Statement from the UA:

The University of Arkansas and the War Memorial Stadium Commission have approved an amendment to modify their agreement to extend Razorback football games at War Memorial Stadium through 2018 while helping accommodate the changing landscape of football scheduling. The previous agreement between the University of Arkansas and the War Memorial Stadium Commission was set to expire at the conclusion of the 2016 season.

As part of the amendment, the University of Arkansas will play one game at War Memorial Stadium in the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons. The five games will include two Southeastern Conference games and three non-conference games. The first in the five-game series will be on Oct. 18, 2014, when the University of Arkansas hosts the University of Georgia in an SEC game at War Memorial Stadium. The Southeastern Conference has not yet determined a football scheduling formula for the 2016 season and beyond.

“I am appreciative of Chairman Kevin Crass and the members of the War Memorial Stadium Commission for working in partnership with the University of Arkansas to come to an agreement that extends our commitment for two additional years while allowing us to address future scheduling challenges,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long. “The new agreement will put the University of Arkansas in a better position to respond to scheduling challenges. Our partnership enabled us to work together to reach a mutually beneficial arrangement that provides the Commission with the financial resources it had anticipated to pay off the remaining debt for their recent renovation of the stadium. With this amendment, we have addressed those priorities and extended our agreement two years through 2018.”

As part of the amended agreement, the University of Arkansas will pay War Memorial Stadium $400,000 annually in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The amount is designed to help offset projected revenue from games previously scheduled for those seasons as well as to help satisfy debt incurred on the stadium’s recent renovation project. As part of the amended agreement, the University of Arkansas will not pay a rental fee for games in the stadium during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The agreement amends and extends the most recent contract entered into in 2008 which called for two games to be played at War Memorial Stadium annually through 2016.

“We are pleased that we have come to an agreement that will ensure that the University of Arkansas will continue to play football games at War Memorial Stadium through 2018,” War Memorial Stadium Commission Chairman Kevin Crass said. “War Memorial Stadium and the Razorback football program have a long and rich history. The football program would not have established its statewide following without War Memorial Stadium. Additionally, War Memorial Stadium would not have enjoyed its sustained success without the Razorback football program. This is the essence of a true partnership. Recently, we learned that the University had a need to solve a scheduling problem and we had a desire to extend the contract beyond 2016. As partners, we were able to come to a result that helps both the Razorbacks and War Memorial Stadium. The Commission and I want to express our appreciation to Jeff Long for his openness to this creative solution.”

Jim Harris, our featured columnist, wrote in a column titled, “A Proposal To Salvage Games in Little Rock” earlier this season:

A shrewd Long may be ready to bite the bullet and suffer through 2015’s problems with no plans to deal with the War Memorial Stadium Commission beyond 2016. However, the commissioners could present Long with an option that could make all sides happy and secure Razorback football games in Little Rock.

We have covered the War Memorial Stadium contract issue from many angles. Below is a list of various columns in the subject from our writers:

Chris Bahn: Keeping Games at War Memorial – You’re OK with That?

Rex Nelson: Razorback Games at War Memorial Stadium – We Embrace Different

Doc Harper: Let’s Talk About Razorback Football Traditions

WinChill Factor: War Memorial – I Love You